• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
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    • 专利摘要:
    The ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet emitters 100 for use in the production of semiconductors are provided with improved lifetime, improved distribution of radiation production, improved distribution of radiation, increased radiation emission efficiency, and improved cooling means do. The emitters 100 have new electrodes 106, new electrode configurations, new means for distributing the plasma between the electrodes, and new cooling means. These features enable the radiators to be miniaturized while allowing for radiation exposure with high intensity and uniformity to a flat surface. The emitters are used for pre-treatment of semiconductor surfaces, deposition of semiconductor thin films, and post-deposition processes of semiconductor thin films.
    公开号:KR20010040954A
    申请号:KR1020007008882
    申请日:1999-02-10
    公开日:2001-05-15
    发明作者:포기아토지오바니안토니오；벨리코브레오니드브이.；만리쿠에즈랄프에프.；칸아쉬래프알.
    申请人:퀘스터 테크놀로지, 인코포레이티드；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    [0001] LARGE AREA SILENT DISCHARGE EXCITATION RADIATOR [0002]
    II. Description of Related Technology
    A. Problems in Semiconductor Manufacturing
    The fabrication of semiconductor devices depends on the lamination of thin, thin films of the desired chemical composition and structure. The surface on which the film is laminated should be smooth and flat in the lamination of thin and thin films. Otherwise, the laminated film will not be smooth or flat. The above properties of the thin layer laminate are expressed as " sensitivity " {Kwok et al. Electrochem. J. Electrochem. Soc., 141 (8); 2172-2177 (1994); Matsuura et al., Bulletin of the 22nd International Conference on Solid Circuit Devices and Materials, Sendai, pp: 239-242 (1990); Fujino et al., J. Am. Electrochem. Association. 138 (2): 550-554 (1991); Fujino et al., J. Electrochem. Association. 139 (6): 1690-1692 (1992)). The surface sensitivity is characterized by varying deposition rates and increased roughness of the resultant film as the process conditions change. The advantages of this process state are in the presence of any possible hardware conditions that are characteristic of the lamination temperature, the lamination pressure, the molar ratio of the reactants (e.g. TEOS and ozone) and the design of the reactor to laminate the film .
    A method for reducing the surface sensitivity includes altering the surface of the underlying film. Maeda et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,545, discloses exposing a stacked semiconductor film to ultraviolet radiation during heating. The ultraviolet radiation is generated by a mercury lamp, which generates electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of 185 nm to 254 nm as well as longer wavelength radiation. However, since the above process is performed on a stacked USG film, the process does not solve the above problem of surface sensitivity. Thus, there is a need for improved methods of reducing surface sensitivity.
    In addition, as the miniaturization of semiconductor devices is accelerated and the spacing between device devices is reduced, the difficulty of filling the gaps with dielectric material is increasing. This is particularly difficult if there is a surface sensitivity of the stack of materials within the interval. Further, as the thickness of the surface film increases, the corresponding film can not completely fill the gap, leaving a " space ". The film providing a coating of the same type as the device mechanism will form a space as the gap is filled. The space may degrade the quality of the integrated circuit device and may contain contaminants that are not a valid dielectric material. Therefore, an improved filling space is required in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
    In addition, as the degree of integration of circuit mechanisms increases, the development of new dielectric materials is required. Such materials include organic polymers. The lamination of the polymer can be carried out by separating the precursor using a radioactive medium and polymerizing the medium on the semiconductor substrate. In order to improve the physical and chemical properties of the laminated dielectric, the separation process of the precursor can be carried out by the use of electromagnetic radiation having the ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet wavelengths. However, currently available devices with such radiation are not suitable for optimizing exposure of the substrate and film to ultraviolet radiation. The above problem and attempted solutions to the problem are disclosed in more detail below.
    B. Ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet lamps
    Lamps that produce ultraviolet or vacuum ultraviolet radiation are known in the art and are described, for example, in Kogelschatz, U. S. Patent No. 5,432, 398; Cogel Shirts, U. S. Patent No. 5,386, 170; Eliasson et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,837,483; Eliason et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,945,290; Eliason et al., U. S. Patent No. 4,983,881; Gellert et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,006,758; Cogel Schats, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,717; And Cogel Shirts, US Patent No. 5,214,344. The above is considered a good reference.
    The dielectric barrier discharge device is comprised of two conductive electrodes, at least one of which is surrounded by a dielectric film and separated by an emitter moiety-containing gap. The radiator component is in the form of a gas, and under normal temperature and other pressures, the atoms of the radiator component do not form a chemical bond between the radiator components. For example, under normal temperature and pressure, new noble gases generally do not form bonds between atoms. However, under a high energy state, for example, in a plasma-like state, the radiator component loses electrons and therefore the component can form a bond between atoms, thus forming an " excitation radiator component ". &Quot; The excitation radiator component " is composed of at least two radiator components, and the radiator component is coupled to each other under the radiator operating condition. The bond has high energy, is unstable, and upon collapse of the bond, the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation characterized by the excited radiator component is discharged.
    Wherein the high energy plasma forming the excitation radiator component is generated by a dielectric discharge, the dielectric discharge is generated when an electric field is generated between the electrodes, the electrodes having a high resistance to flow current between the electrodes Electrodes. The electrodes are covered with a dielectric material and have a high capacitance which provides a current flow between the electrodes at the high resistance. Thus, a high voltage is required to overcome the dielectric barrier, and when the voltage is high enough, the barrier is overcome and a plasma is produced in the gas between the electrodes. Since the higher voltage is required to initiate plasma formation between the dielectric barrier electrodes, the resulting current through the gas must be substantially higher than the incident current between the electrodes without the dielectric layer, and therefore more power And is transferred to the gas.
    C. Problems of Prior Art
    The above-described prior art devices have various problems, and their use is not desirable due to the need for accuracy of semiconductor manufacturing. These problems include unequal temperature distribution between the devices, uneven radiation distribution between the surfaces being treated and short service life.
    1. Generation of unequal plasma
    The first problem is that while the respective plasma micro filaments are generated between the electrodes, only a small portion of the dielectric barrier is overcome along the surface of the electrode. Once a portion of the plasma microfilament formation is formed, the dielectric material may be degraded in quality at the portion, thereby reducing the resistance to which current flows. As the resistance decreases, the portion becomes the center of subsequent discharges. Repeated discharges further degrade the dielectric quality degradation and cause locally high temperatures in the dielectric material. Thereby further degrading the properties of the dielectric material. As the dielectric material is degraded, the dielectric material loses its ability to store charge, and the threshold voltage of the dielectric discharge is reduced, resulting in loss of power and weakening of the plasma system. Since the power output of the excimer device is related to the power of the electrical discharge, the loss of power causes a decrease in the radiation output from the device. Therefore, the service life of the excimer device is limited.
    2. Temperature normalization
    Another problem is that during use, the electrode and the radiator gas can overheat. The overheating of the electrodes alters the wavelength of the discharged radiation, causing deterioration of the electrical dielectric material and reducing the service life of the lamp. It is known that although the exact mechanism of the overheating is not known, the plasma micro filaments are not evenly distributed in the discharge space of the conventional device. The uneven distribution of the plasma causes gas temperature variations in other parts of the device.
    As a result of the temperature difference within the discharge tube, a difference in the wavelength of the emitted radiation produced by the lamp is produced. The result, therefore, results in a broader spectrum of discharged radiation, which can lead to undesirable consequences in the semiconductor process. When using precursors for the lamination of films, the energy required to separate the specific types of chemical bonds is narrow. Precise regulation of the power of the radiation used to separate the desired binding in a controlled process of the precursor molecule is required.
    However, enlarging the spectrum of radiation can disrupt the bonds in the semiconductor material, which bonds should not collapse, and the collapse of the bonds causes heterogeneous mixed precursor molecules, and some of the precursor molecules Is deposited on the membrane to cause real contamination. Also, exposing the surface to radiation in an enlarged spectrum can cause degradation of the semiconductor surface or formation of undesirable types of radicals. For example, in the case of Xe, when the temperature of the excimer gas exceeds about 300 캜, the inter-atomic bond between the xenon atoms is not formed. Thus, unless interatomic bonding is collapsed, there is no excimer radiation discharged by the device.
    Thus, an important problem in the prior art lies in a way to overcome the partial temperature differences in the device and a method of cooling the emitter enough to generate UV or VUV radiation. Conventional devices use water to cool the device and provide a more even temperature. However, since water has a very high dielectric constant (K = 81), water readily forms an electric field and therefore provides a path through which electric energy can flow separately from the excimer gas. Leakage of the current to the electrical ground requires a significantly higher power output from the AC power source, and the high power output produces the necessary power that the gas can initiate and sustain lamp operation.
    3. Distribution of uneven radiation
    Another problem in the manufacture of semiconductor devices is to evenly distribute the radiation on the surface of a semiconductor wafer. Conventional devices are composed of tubes, and the center electrode of the tube is surrounded by external electrodes. Examples of such devices are found in Kogelschatz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,959, Cogel Shirts, U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,170, Cogel Schats et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,717. Each of these patents is sufficient as a reference. Because the discharge tube of the device radially discharges radiation in all directions, the tube does not provide a uniform discharge of radiation in a particular desired direction. This is because the density of the radiation is altered by the fact that the radiation passes through the constituent elements of the device, for example a quartz tube, through the electrode and also through the emitter gas. Therefore, the electromagnetic power that does not reach the wafer is discarded. In addition, the shape of the cylindrical radiator with the center electrode surrounded by the electrodes inherently produces unequal radiation. Uneven distribution of radiation causes unequal exposure of the flat waiter, resulting in uneven treatment of the surface, thus reducing the accuracy and persistence of exposure of the semiconductor wafer to the radiation.
    Conventional attempts to overcome uneven distribution have been made, for example, by Gelat et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,006,758, Elia Son et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,983,881; Eliason et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,638; Eliason et al., U.S. Patent 4,945,290. Each of these patents is fully incorporated as a reference. These devices suffer from the same problem of partial loss of dielectric efficiency and uneven plasma generation. Further, in most of the above-described devices of the prior art, there is no means for cooling the electrode, and degradation of the dielectric material and heating of the excimer gas shorten inefficiency and service life of the device.
    4. Contamination of radiator
    Another problem with the prior art is that during use the excimer lamp is contaminated with impurities which are by-products from the excimer gas and from the dielectric material. The contaminants are deposited on the window of the lamp, thereby reducing the transparency to the UV or VUV radiation. The contaminants reduce the useful life of the device.
    It is therefore desirable to maintain the cooling during use, have a long service life, narrow the spectrum within the desired wavelength range, distribute the intensity of the discharged radiation evenly, and make it convenient and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, It is a permanent problem of the prior art in terms of designing and manufacturing.
    [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION]
    Accordingly, one object of the present invention resides in the design of an excimer lamp that provides an even distribution of the emitted radiation and is suitable for semiconductor manufacturing and manufacturing processes.
    Another object of the present invention is to design an excimer lamp having a long service life.
    Another object of the present invention resides in the miniaturization design of an excimer lamp.
    It is another object of the present invention to design an excimer lamp that maintains the efficiency of the lamp in the state of increased power output.
    It is another object of the present invention to design an excimer lamp that is not easily contaminated during operation.
    Another object of the present invention resides in the design of an excimer lamp which includes a region where the contaminant is purified without affecting the radiation intensity or wavelength.
    To address this problem, the present invention provides an excimer lamp having a row of electrodes in a plane, the electrodes being individually cooled and having means for distributing the plasma discharge according to the length of each electrode.
    Accordingly, one feature of the present invention includes a design for a conductive electrode surrounded by a dielectric material, wherein the conductive electrode has a groove in the dielectric material to distribute the plasma generating region along the length of the electrode.
    A further feature of the present invention is the inclusion of a row of electrodes disposed in a dielectric layer, wherein the conductive electrode has a depression in the dielectric material to distribute the plasma generating region on the dielectric layer.
    Another feature of the present invention is the provision of heat and radiators for the electrodes, wherein the heat and radiators of the electrodes are miniaturized to increase efficiency, reduce power consumption, and increase the even distribution of discharged radiation.
    Another feature of the present invention is that the radiation is easily transferred through the wall of the tube by including the opening of the discharge tube with electrodes between the discharge tubes.
    Another feature of the present invention is that the excimer gas does not contaminate the excimer gas while it is in the emitter.
    Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a thin window for radiation transmission to maintain sufficient mechanical strength to withstand high pressure gradients.
    I. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
    The present invention relates to a device for producing electromagnetic radiation having ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet wavelengths used in manufacturing devices and methods of manufacturing semiconductor equipment.
    Figure 1A illustrates one embodiment of a row of electrodes, wherein the electrode contacts the cooling block and the transparent window. The electrodes are shown hatched.
    FIG. 1B is a plan view of the electrode of FIG. 1A, wherein the electrode has a groove for distributing the plasma discharge according to the length of the electrode.
    FIG. 1C shows a side view of the electrode shown in FIG. 1B, wherein the side view shows the orientation of the grooves of the dielectric layer.
    FIG. 1D illustrates one embodiment of the groove of FIG. 1B, wherein the groove has a curved shape.
    FIG. 1E shows a cross-sectional view of the electrode of FIG. 1B, which shows the direction of the groove and the size relative to the electrode.
    FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, wherein a getter gas is used that does not contaminate the gas, with the flow of the emitter gas parallel to the electrode.
    Figure 3a illustrates one embodiment of the present invention wherein the electrode is cooled by a cooling block and a liquid medium. The electrodes are shown hatched.
    FIG. 3B shows a side view of the electrode of FIG. 3A, wherein the side view shows a groove for dispersing the plasma and channels and cooling means through which the radiator gas flows.
    FIG. 3c is a side view of the electrode body of FIG. 3b, wherein the side view shows the direction of the gas channels and grooves.
    Figure 4 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention wherein the electrode is connected to a cooling block and the cooling block is cooled by a circulating cooling fluid in the block.
    FIG. 5A shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which the thermal gas discharge tubes are scattered in the electrodes.
    Figure 5b shows a detail of the arrangement comprising the cooling block, the electrode and the gas discharge tube of Figure 5a.
    Figure 5c shows the configuration of one embodiment of the anode of Figure 5a.
    FIG. 5D illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the discharge space is defined by a transparent window.
    FIG. 6A illustrates another embodiment of the present invention wherein the electrode is a line or helical line within the electrode cooling space.
    FIG. 6B shows a detailed view of the configuration of the electrode shown in FIG. 6A, wherein the electrode has a helical conductive element.
    FIG. 6C shows another embodiment, wherein the cooling of the electrode is mainly performed by the internal electrode cooling space.
    7A shows a temporary example of the present invention, wherein the discharge space is defined by a semicircular element and a transparent window, and has a cooling fluid circulating around each electrode.
    Figure 7b illustrates one embodiment of the present invention wherein the electrode is in direct contact with the cooling fluid, buried in the dielectric material and outside of the plane of the discharge space and the window configuration is shown in detail.
    Figure 7c illustrates an embodiment in which a thin electrode is buried in the dielectric material and is external to the discharge space.
    Fig. 7d shows a plan view showing one embodiment of Fig. 7b or 7c, showing the relationship between the spherical spacer and the underlying electrode.
    Figure 8 shows a row of electrodes adapted to provide a circular area of radiation discharge.
    The drawings are described in detail in the description of the present invention.
    The present invention includes a device for processing a semiconductor substrate with electromagnetic radiation that is at said ultraviolet (UV) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) wavelengths. The above process may be performed before or after stacking of a semiconductor device layer, for example, a metal line or a dielectric layer.
    I. Genetic barrier discharge lamp
    A dielectric barrier discharge lamp (also known as a silent discharge lamp) includes a new electrode design, a new discharge tube, a new electrode arrangement, and a new cooling means, forming the basis of the inventive device. The device generates radiation by a fluorescent discharge mechanism and also by an excimer process and depends on the type of components present in the discharge tube. Depending on the kind of the radiator gas, the wavelength of the discharged radiation exists in the ultraviolet ray or vacuum ultraviolet ray range. VUV and UV radiation can be generated from ear gas and other atomic components (see Table 1).
    The discharge wavelength of the selected electromagnetic radiation emitter Radiator component Wavelength (nanometer) He 2 60-100 Ne 2 80-90 Ar 2 107-165 Kr 2 140-160 Xe 2 160-190 N 2 337-415 KrF 240-255 Hg / Ar 235 Deuterium 150-250 XeF 340-360, 400-550 XeCl 300-320 XeI 240-260 ArF 180-200 ArCl 165-190 ArCl / KrCl 165-190, 200-240 KrCl 200-240 Hg 185, 254, 320-370, 390-420 Se 196, 204, 206
    Eliason et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,983,881, and Cogel Shirts, U.S. Patent No. 5,432,398, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
    Wherein the range of wavelengths comprises the wavelength corresponding to the energy of the chemical bond of the precursor to the amphiphilic layer and wherein the precursor may be either inside the laminated film or as an undesirable contaminant on the substrate surface have. Some of the chemical bonds that are usually involved in semiconductor manufacturing and processing are given in Table 2 below and correspond to the energies within the UV and VUV ranges.
    According to some theories, surface deformation requires disruption of undesirable bonds and / or desirable surface bonding or formation of surface portions. The bond particularly includes Si-OH, Si-C and Si-N. The binding energy of some related bonds is shown in Table 2. The energy is in the visible light, ultraviolet (UV) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) regions, and thus the electromagnetic radiation of the wavelength interacts with the binding. Thus, by exposing the surface to UV and VUV radiation, it is possible to modify the bonding state of the thermal oxygen or other buried material, such as an insulator, metal dielectric or barrier layer.
    Bonding energy of selected bond Combination Energy (eV) Wavelength (nm) H-H 4.52 274 C-C 3.60 344 Si-Si 1.83 678 N-N 1.67 745 O-O 1.44 861 C-H 4.28 289 Si-H 3.05 406 N-H 4.05 306 O-H 4.80 259 C-Si 3.01 413 C-N 3.02 410 C-O 3.64 340 Si-O 3.82 324 C = C 6.34 195 C C 9.22 134
    The data is shown in FIG. Poling, Chemical Bonding and Structure Properties of Molecules and Crystals: Introduction to Modern Structural Chemistry, 3rd Edition, Cornell University Press, Issa, New York, 1960; Atkins, Physicochemical, 3rd ed., Oxford University Press (1988), which is fully incorporated by reference.
    As can be seen in Table 2, certain bonds collapse by absorbing electromagnetic radiation. The electromagnetic radiation of the lamp of the present invention may have sufficient energy to disrupt the bond, thereby removing the component from the surface. The process of surface modification of semiconductors using electromagnetic radiation of serial number 08 / 986,916, for example, Khan, discloses a method for reducing said surface sensitivity of a semiconductor wafer to a subsequent lamination of tetraethylorthosilicate / ozone layer And is considered a good reference.}
    Even though the wavelength in Table 1 represents the maximum power, there is a bandwidth of the wavelength generated by each of the emitter components. The bandwidth varies from about 1 to about 17 nm. {Newman et al., Ast. Physics. 48; 543-556 (1995) are considered sufficient references. } Thus, the radiator increases the number and shape of the chemical bonds to be separated by exposing the surface of the semiconductor substrate to the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation.
    A. Electrode Design
    The problem of uneven plasma formation in the device is minimized by using new rounded grooves, small depressions, ellipses, cylinders, or other types of depressions in the surface of the dielectric-coated electrode, (E. G., The elliptical electrode of Fig. 1A). The electrode has a diameter of about 20 to 20 mm, preferably a diameter of 20 to 10 mm, more preferably a diameter of 100 to 3 mm. The grooves or depressions are etched to a depth of about one-quarter to one-half the radius of the electrode of the dielectric material, and are perpendicular to the plane of the electrode array (see, for example, FIGS. 3B and 3C Reference). The depressed portion is a portion where the plasma micro filaments are formed. By providing this portion of plasma microfilament formation, it reduces the tendency of the plasma to form only gradually in a small fraction of the discharge space. Thus, the power will be more evenly distributed within the radiator and the discharged radiation will become more uniform.
    The depression provides a region where the capacitance between adjacent electrodes is increased. The region becomes a portion where the plasma filament is formed. The depressions are arranged along the electrode at any convenient interval, for example from about 20 [mu] m to about 10 mm, so that more depressions or grooves provide a greater portion of the plasma formation. Therefore, it is preferable that the depressed portion is disposed more closely, for example, from 20 to 5 mm. In general, the arrangement of the dimples is preferably about the radius of curvature of the electrode. Thus, at thinner electrodes, the depressions are located closer to the gap at the wider electrode.
    In addition, the deeper depressions further increase the capacitance than the shallower depressions. The depressions or grooves must be deep enough to initiate a plasma discharge. However, deeper depressions should be wider than shallower depressions. The depth of the depression should be shallow enough to avoid direct electrical collapse of the dielectric material. A preferred depth of the depression is in the range of about 0.1 to 0.9 times the thickness of the dielectric material covering the conductive element of the electrode. The distance of the depression is determined by the ratio of the size of the depression and is estimated by the deepest depth of the depression divided by the length of the surface of the electrode. Generally, it is preferable that the depression is not larger than the cross-sectional diameter of the micro-discharge channel (within about 10 mu m to about 100 mu m in diameter). Thus, shallower troughs can be placed closer together.
    The precise shape and size of the depression may vary, but it is preferred that the depression has no sharp edges or edges, and the sharp edges or edges concentrate the charge and initiate plasma formation at an undesired position (Fig. 1C- 1d). The shape of the dimples is preferably in the range of about 0.1 r to 0.3 r, and r is the radius of the electrode.
    In other electrode designs, the depressions include, for example, electrodes embedded in a dielectric material (FIGS. 7B and 7C), and the depressions may be formed in the underlying dielectric layer. The depression preferably has a groove, a small depression, an ellipse, and a cylindrical shape. In the groove, the direction of the groove may be a matrix column perpendicular to the electrode or parallel to the electrode. In the case of a small depression, the location is preferably the top of the conductive element. However, the other direction of the depression is intended and is also within the scope of the present invention.
    B. Electrode placement and lamp design
    In one embodiment of the present invention, the electrode is preferably comprised of a thin conductive element, for example a tantalum wire surrounded by a layer of dielectric material, said dielectric material being a crystal or ceramic 1a). The configuration of this configuration provides a thinner, thinner electrode than a conventionally used device by providing a long, thin electrode that can be arranged in parallel (FIG. 2). When placed in a discharge space containing a radiator gas, the volume of the discharge space can be narrowed like the electrode (see FIG. 1). Typical electrode diameters t are in the range of about 20 占 퐉 to 20 mm, preferably in the range of about 100 占 퐉 to 5 mm, and more preferably in the range of about 1 mm to 3 mm. In the electrode arrangement, the radiator gas is contained in a discharge space between the electrodes and a surface defined by the window, and the window reflects the wavelength of the generated radiation.
    In another embodiment, the discharge tube is small (about 100 [mu] m to 10 [mu] m in diameter) and arranged in a flat row with the electrodes between the discharge tubes. The cross-sectional shape of the discharge tube can be changed into a quadrangle (Figs. 5A-5D, Figs. 6A and 6C), a circle, a semicircle (Fig. In the form of this arrangement, the electrode need not be enclosed within a layer of individual dielectric material. The discharge tube is a sufficient dielectric material with sufficient storage so that the high power plasma can be generated in the discharge tube.
    In another embodiment, the electrode is embedded in a dielectric material having a surface defined by one side of the discharge space (see, e.g., Figures 7b and 7c). The thickness of the dielectric material is selected to provide sufficient dielectric breakdown voltage to initiate plasma microfilament formation and excitation of the emitter gas in the discharge space.
    All forms of the lamp may vary depending on the length and shape of the space between the electrodes. A round, rectangular, elliptical, triangular or other desired form of the ramp may be made to adjust the relative length and position of the electrodes in thermal form.
    The electrode is connected to a source of alternating electron current to produce a plasma. The electrical device is known in the art and will not be described further. The voltage across the gap between the electrodes necessary to initiate the plasma discharge is in the range of about 1 kV / cm to 50 kV / cm, preferably in the range of about 10 kV / cm to 40 kV / cm, The working voltage between the intervals will be about 10 kV or less. The miniaturization of the electrode and a space closer to the electrode can reduce the required voltage to 5 kV or less, for example, to about 300 V for a specific gas.
    The window or discharge tube should be transparent so that the radiation can be discharged. For UV radiation, the window will be made of, for example, quartz, preferably as a single crystal modification or ceramic, and for VUV radiation the window is made of, for example, LiF, MgF 2 , CaF 2 , artificial quartz or sapphire It will be institutionalized.
    Also, the pressure of the discharge space is generally lower than the atmospheric pressure in the VUV device. Because the VUV radiation reduces the transmission of the VUV radiation to the outside of the device by being absorbed by the gas. The pressure in the discharge space may be less than or equal to the pressure outside the discharge space, thereby creating another pressure in the window, and the pressure is liable to cause the window to receive a large pressure. The combination of the reduced volume and the reduced pressure requires that the window of the device be strong enough to recognize the difference in pressure between the discharge space and the interior of the exposure chamber in which the radiation is used. Thus, the present invention may include means for keeping the window intact in terms of a relatively large pressure difference between the devices.
    In addition, the surfaces of the discharge space opposite the window may be coated as a suitable reflective material, for example MgF 2 .
    In addition, the new shape of the discharge tube can be used, for example, as a cylindrical or rectangular cross-section to eliminate the need for an individual window. By placing the electrode between the discharge tubes, the radiation generated in the tube exits the tube and exposes the surface to treatment. In devices requiring a wider discharge space, windows may be supported by the electrodes or ceramics.
    C. Minimizing lamp contamination
    The sealing lamp is contaminated by sources of contamination from the gas or from the material of the window. The contamination reduces the transmission of radiation through the window or discharge tube. To solve this problem, the lamp of the present invention continuously exchanges the emitter gas in the discharge space and the tube by using a flow-through system. Plasma is known to be unstable if the flow of gas is not parallel to the direction of the plasma. Unstable plasmas produce uneven discharge intensity. Thus, the flow of the radiator gas is perpendicular to the electrode so that the gas flow is parallel to the direction of the plasma micro filaments. The gas flow in a direction parallel to the plasma micro filaments achieves a more accurate normalization of the surface treatment by making the intensity of the discharged radiation uniform. In another embodiment involving a flow-through emitter gas, the flow of gas is parallel to the electrode, and thus perpendicular to the plasma micro filaments, and the instability of the plasma in relation to the direction of the gas flow and the plasma direction, Can be minimized by using the flow rate.
    In another embodiment, the emitter gas may not be contaminated by using a getter in the lamp. The getter does not contaminate the emitter gas of the flow by capturing ions or radical components. Preferably, the getter is positioned around the column of electrodes. Is shown in Fig.
    The problem of contamination can be solved by consuming the emitter gas from the lamp to the external filter, and the gas is not contaminated and can therefore be reused. Also, new, unused gases can be introduced into the lamp.
    D. Cooling
    Because of the high power needs of the dielectric discharge lamp, it is important to be able to carefully normalize the temperature of the device. The normalization can be performed by downsizing the lamp to reduce power and by providing the lamp with new cooling means.
    Miniaturization improves uniform temperature distribution by transmitting heat through a thermal conduction element over a shorter distance. In addition, miniaturization allows more efficient use of power in the device, thereby reducing the total power dispersed within the device. Thus, less heat is generated, and with the use of new cooling means, the miniaturization makes the operation of the lamp of the present invention possible at lower temperatures.
    The electrode may also be formed on a thermally conductive material, such as a thermally conductive material, for example, beryllium oxide, aluminum nitride or Kerafoil TM , trademarks of ceramic heat-conducting films of MHNW International Corporation (MAW, Respectively. Other suitable thermally conductive materials known in the art may also be used in the present invention. Suitable ceramic materials process heat quickly and thereby dissipate excessive heat produced by the electrode. In order for this action to be effective, the electrode should be close to the thermally conductive ceramic material. In addition, the electrode, the dielectric material and the ceramic support preferentially have similar thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficients. Tantalum wires and quartz crystal have a similar coefficient of thermal expansion, which is one of the preferred materials in electrode construction. In use, the electrode and the support element are brought close to each other, so that the increase in electrode temperature does not reduce heat loss through differential expansion that creates the gap between the electrode and the cooling block.
    In addition to the conduction cooling means, the present invention includes a device that uses the reverse Peltier effect to remove excess heat from the heat conducting material. Devices including the reverse Peltier effect are known in the art and are commercially available. For example, Technikul TM is a trademark of Melco (Trenton, NJ) solid state thermoelectric cooling device.
    In addition, the radiator has liquid cooling means to remove excess heat. 3-7. The means create holes and pumps in the cooling block to purify the cooling water to the radiator to remove excess heat. In certain implementations, the cooling liquid may be water, and for other mechanisms requiring electrical separation of the cooling means from the electrode, a liquid with a low dielectric constant will be used. The liquid may be a Halon TM based glycol or glycol.
    The degree of cooling will depend on the power consumption and power of the radiator. An increase in the power output of the radiator may require more efficient cooling to maintain the radiator temperature within a desired operating range. The temperature of the excimer component must be sufficiently low to permit atomic bonding during radiator operation. For example, when Xe is used as an excimer component, the maximum operating temperature should be about 300 DEG C or less.
    All other features of the present invention are to carefully control the distribution of radiation intensity and to reduce the power requirement for the lamp, thereby making it possible to more accurately expose the semiconductor material to the radiation. Such power generation is useful in the production and processing of semiconductor materials.
    II. Use of UV and VUV lamps
    A. Pretreatment of semiconductor substrate
    Pretreatment of semiconductor substrates with UV and VUV radiation reduces contaminants on the semiconductor material thereby providing a more ideal surface on which subsequent layers of semiconductor material are deposited. For example, if the semiconductor surface is rough, a subsequent layer of semiconductor material will not be uniformly deposited on the surface and can cause film thickness or dielectric constant variations. The deviation of the film lamination depends on the embedded substrate and is referred to as surface sensitivity. The surface roughness or space in the film stack can arise from the presence of contaminants due to organic, water or other undesirable materials. Treatment with UV and VUV radiation can be achieved by removing contaminants that cause the phenomenon, The sensitivity can be lowered.
    For example, a thermally oxidized semiconductor surface will have Si-O-Si, Si-H and Si-OH bonds on the surface with some hydrocarbons or other organic contaminants. According to one theory, the presence of a bond of this type reduces the homogeneity of the resultant laminated film so that the semiconductor surface has a pristine surface. According to this theory, the bonding may be formed when contaminants on the surface are bonded to silicon or oxygen in the SiO 2 film.
    Another theory relates to the retentate material present on the substrate surface. A typical source of organic contaminants is clean room air and a photoresist excess from the photolithography process. The organic components found include silicon carbide, amide, silicon, organic phosphorus compounds, C 6 -C 28 aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalene, alcohols such as isopropyl alcohol, There are ridones, cresols and amines. Carmen Jind et al., Balazs News, No. 20: 1-3 (October 1997); Kamenjid et al., Micros pp: 71-76 (October 1995) are considered sufficient references.
    The above theories include only technical purposes, and the present invention does not depend on the above specific theory in the feasibility of the present invention. Regardless of the molecular source or mechanism that causes deformation of the semiconductor surface by UV and VUV radiation, the present invention discloses an improved excimer device for semiconductor surface processing.
    Ⅲ. Deposition of dielectric films and in-film processing of substrate materials
    In addition to pretreatment of semiconductor substrates, UV and VUV radiation is useful for initiating chemical reactions that are likely to be involved in semiconductor manufacturing. For example, U.S. Patent No. 08 / 958,057 to Lee et al. Is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety and discloses the use of VUV and UV radiation to selectively break bonds in precursor molecules, To produce reactive intermediates that can polymerize to form low dielectric films that improve thermal, mechanical stability.
    In addition, treatment of the deposited semiconductor films using electromagnetic radiation can also be used to break certain bonds within the film itself, thereby promoting cross-linking or other desired chemical reactions within the material. These chemical reactions improve the thermal and mechanical stability of the material, and consequently the dielectric properties of the material may change.
    Examples
    The following examples illustrate some of the features of the present invention. Other examples are possible, all of which are considered part of the present invention.
    Example 1
    Example 1 shows a schematic diagram (FIG. 1A) of a device 100 according to the present invention. The device 100 may be formed of a planar layer of a thermally conductive ceramic material 104 and any suitable material such as tantalum, for example, surrounded by a dielectric material 108 made of a suitable material such as, for example, And a plurality of electrodes 106 made of a central conductive element 112 made of a conductive material. The conductive element 112 and the dielectric material 108 are selected to have compatible coefficients for thermal diffusion so that during use thereof the electrodes 106 are heated such that the electrode has a gap or excessive stress Is not generated. This increases the usable life of the electrodes. Tantalum and quartz are preferred because they have similar thermal diffusivity. However, pairs of other conductive elements and dielectric materials having a thermal diffusivity coefficient similar to that of high thermal conductivity are also suitable. The thermally conductive ceramic 104 may be any other suitable material and materials comprising beryllium oxide and aluminum nitride are preferred.
    The electrodes 106 may be fabricated from conductive tubes 112 and a dielectric tube 108 having a central hole of slightly smaller diameter than the conductive element 112. When sufficient heat is applied, the dielectric tube 108 is stretched, and the diameter of the center hole is increased to accommodate the conductive element 112. After inserting the conductive element 112, the electrode is cooled and the dielectric contracts to be in intimate contact with the conductive element 112. Care must be taken to prevent brittle stress that can weaken the electrode or reduce the genetic properties of the material 108.
    The electrode 106 should have an outer diameter of about 20 microns to about 20 millimeters, preferably about 100 microns to about 5 millimeters, and more preferably about 1 millimeter to about 3 millimeters. The electrodes 106 are bonded to the ceramic or quartz material 104 in any suitable thermally conductive manner thereby facilitating dissipation of heat generated from the electrodes to the material 104, And thus can be diverted from the device. Such bonding methods are known in the art, for example, glass frits, stitching, ceramic bonding or thermocompression methods.
    The electrodes 106 are positioned close together and evenly, so that a number of discharge spaces defined to have a width of about 1 mm at about 100 microns comprise any suitable gas or mixture of gases. The gases may be radiant gases, or they may be a mixture of radiant gases and carrier gases such as nitrogen. It is important that the gases should be selected so as not to excessively absorb the desired wavelength in the radiation being emitted. On the other hand, certain gases that selectively absorb undesired wavelengths of radiation can increase the selectivity of the excimer lamp output. Gases and their absorption spectra are well known in the art.
    The gas pressure in the discharge spaces 116 may be lower than atmospheric pressure, equal to atmospheric pressure, or greater than atmospheric pressure. By providing more radiant gas, the intensity of the radiation can be increased. On the other hand, the VUV path length through the gas is reduced due to the increased absorption by the denser gas present at high pressure by the increased gas pressure. Therefore, the preferred pressure is in the range of about 10 milliTorr to about 100 Torr, more preferably about 10 milliTorr, and the path length of the VUV radiation at this pressure is about 1 cm.
    The electrodes 106 are bonded to the window 124 in a manner similar to that described above. The junction between the electrodes 106 and the window 124 can conduct the generated heat and the conductive ceramic 104 also aids this purpose. The window 124 may be made of any material that is capable of transmitting the wavelength of the desired radiation. In general, the intensity of the radiation transmitted through the window can be expressed by the following relationship:
    I = I o e - X
    Where I is the intensity of the radiation measured after passing through the window, I o is the initial radiation intensity before passing through the window, e is the base of the natural logarithm (Napierian logarithms) , and x is the thickness of the window. In general, if the if the ratio I / I o of about 90% at about 80%, the efficiency of the radiation emitted is preferably largest.
    For example, a crystal crystal is suitable for the UV wavelength, and it is preferable to be made of a single crystal. For relatively short wavelengths such as VUV, high purity crystal crystals, LiF, MgF 2 , or CaF 2 are used, and it is preferable to use a single crystal of these materials. When LiF is desired, this material transmits about 80% to 90% of a short wavelength of about 110 nm. If the wavelength is not less than about 120㎚ include MgF 2, and also suitable for use, the MgF 2 are transmitted through about 90% of a wavelength longer than about 120㎚ at about 80%. For longer wavelengths, fused crystals or sapphire crystals are suitable. The window 124 should be as thin as possible with sufficient strength to withstand the pressure differential between the discharge space 116 and the outside of the spinning device.
    The thickness t of the discharge space 116 and the electrodes 106 should be about 20 mm to about 10 mm, preferably about 100 mm to about 5 mm, more preferably about 1 mm to about 3 mm Is more preferable. However, the volume of the electrodes and the discharge space may be selected to optimize the radiation of radiation. More gas molecules can emit more radiation at a given gas pressure by using electrodes 106 having larger diameters. Alternatively, at a high gas pressure, the same amount of radiation can be generated using a discharge space 116 that is thinner in the t dimension.
    AC electric power is applied to the paired electrodes, one pole of an AC power source is connected to one of the adjacent electrodes, and the other pole is exposed to the other pole. The alternating current frequencies may vary from about 5 Hz to about 1000 kHz, preferably between about 10 kHz and about 200 kHz, and more preferably about 20 kHz. The voltage across the electrodes may range from about 300V to about 20kV, a voltage between about 3kV and about 8kV is preferred, and a more preferred voltage is about 5kV. These low voltages are possible if the space of the electrodes is kept low and the gas pressure in the discharge space is in the range of about 10 milliTorr.
    The voltage and exposure times are selected to provide the desired effect. In order to minimize its surface sensitivity to the deposition of undoped silicate glass (USG), the output power of the excimer lamp is in the range of about 15 mW / cm 2 to 100 W / cm 2. Preferably, the output power is in a range from about 15 mW / cm 2 to about 50 W / cm 2, more preferably about 1 W / cm 2.
    The exposure time may vary in inverse proportion to the output power of the generator. On the other hand, these exposure guidelines may vary depending on the existing state of the substrate. Low power and / or short pressure duration is essential for any surface.
    In order to distribute the production locations of the plasma micro filaments in the excimer device, the electrodes 106 are made to have grooves 118 (FIG. 1B to FIG. 1E) in the dielectric 108. The grooves 118 may be triangular (Fig. 1B) or round (Fig. 1D). It is preferable that the grooves have no sharp edges or edges. Generally, the sides of the grooves 118 are perpendicular to the axis of the conductive element 112 (FIG. 1C). The grooves are also arranged on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the electrode array. Thus, the grooves have an inner surface facing towards the proximal electrodes. Generally, the grooves have a sufficient depth such that the angle between the ends of the grooves and the center of the conductive element 112 is about 90 degrees. On the other hand, the depth and length of the groove may vary without departing from the invention.
    The grooves position the locations of the plasma microfilament configuration, thereby increasing the useful life of the electrode. These distribute the radiation more evenly. By creating regions of increased capacitance within them, the grooves promote the formation of plasma discharges in the grooves, thereby increasing the local discharge pattern more fully, limited to only a few positions along the electrode as in the case of prior art devices prevent. By placing a discharge at more locations along the electrode, the flux of electrical current at each discharge location can be reduced, resulting in a more even distribution of the local heating of the electrode, and thereby the ceramic 108 Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > collapse < / RTI > This is only one of the possible theories for the useful function of the grooves 118. Other theories for this useful effect may also be described, all of which are within the scope of the present invention.
    Alternatively, the grooves 118 may be replaced by other shapes including, but not limited to, dimples, ellipses, cylinders, which are included in the scope of the present invention.
    Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention in relation to the grooved electrode shown and described in Fig. 1 above. In this arrangement, the arrangement of the electrodes is connected to the opposite side of the device 200 alternately with adjacent electrodes 206 as part of the radiation device 200. One set 210 of leads is connected to one side of an AC power source (not shown), and the leads 211 are connected to the other side of the AC power source. The device 200 has an internal port 204 for delivering mixed gases and an external port 220 for ejecting the gases out. Getters 217 are included within the wall of the lamp to allow for the purification of the radiant gas passing through the device. The getters are formed of titanium or other suitable material known in the art. The getters 217 may be in the form of flat plates or mesh. The getters 217 are activated through application of an electromagnetic field to enhance the suction of contaminating ions. The electric fields may be generated using any suitable power source known in the art. The DC current voltage is about 100V at about 50V, preferably about 300V.
    In this structure, the flow of gas is parallel to the electrodes (arrow) and thereby perpendicular to the plasma micro filaments generated between adjacent electrodes. Such a structure is simple to produce because the electrodes are relatively simple to design. The volumes of the device 200 are selected to accommodate the size of the semiconductor wafer exposed to the radiation. Multiple electrodes are also required for a particular application and can be formed with this structure.
    Example 2
    Another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3A includes additional cooling means and an alternative pattern of radiant gas flow through the device 300. 3A shows an exemplary element arrangement of this embodiment. Electrodes 306 comprising an electrically conductive element 312 surrounded by a dielectric material 308 are arranged as in FIGS. 1 and 2 and include thermally conductive elements 304 and windows 324, . To cool the thermally conductive element 304, a cooling medium 328 is conveyed across the surface of the element 304. The cooling medium 328 is enclosed with a coolant suppression element 332, which may be made of any material compatible with the selected coolant. The thermally conductive element 304 and the coolant suppression element 332 define a coolant containment space. By way of example only, the coolant containment space is sheetlike with relatively free flow patterns of the cooling medium between the conductive element 304 and the suppression element 332. The cooling medium 328 is selected to provide good thermal conductivity and high thermal capacity. Preferred vehicles also have low dielectric constants and high dielectric strength to minimize electrical current leakage to ground during lamp operation. Preferred vehicles include glycol and halon ). ≪ / RTI > The flow rate of the coolant should be sufficient to maintain the temperature of the electrode below about 300 ° C when using Xe as the spinning gas. The coolant is circulated by pump means (not shown).
    Additionally, in this embodiment, the excimer gas flow in the discharge space 316 is perpendicular to the axis of the electrodes (arrow). That is, the flow of gas becomes parallel to the electric field discharges between the electrodes. This structure allows the formation of more stable plasma than is possible with the structure shown in FIG. The increased stability of the plasma allows the output of the lamp to be adjusted to be closer within a narrower tolerance than when using other structures. However, the embodiment shown in Figures 3A-3C is more complex and requires more processing steps than the embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 2.
    Figure 3b shows an embodiment 301 wherein the electrodes allow vertical excimer gas flow and also show the configuration of the cooling elements different from Figure 3a. The electrode 306 is shown as a side view of the longitudinal portion and has egg-shaped grooves 318 and gas channels 336. [ The gas channels 336 provide channels through which gas may flow from one discharge space 316 into the adjacent discharge space. These gas channels may be a rounded exterior as shown, or may be other convenient forms. The gas channels 336 must be sufficiently large and of sufficient size to lessen the flow of gas into the device. If the gas channels 336 are too narrow or too small in number, the pressure difference between one discharge space and the adjacent discharge space becomes so large that the pressure between the discharge spaces varies greatly, resulting in inefficient lamp operation. As in the examples above, the electrodes 306 are bonded to the window 324 with a thermally conductive material 304.
    In addition, FIG. 3B is in thermal contact with the thermally conductive material 304, adjacent the cooling block 342. Coolant channels 344 for cooling liquid 328 are in the cooling block 342 and are perpendicular to the electrodes and are used to discharge excess heat from the electrodes. The coolant channels are connected to a coolant pump and a reservoir (not shown).
    3C shows the details of the structure of this embodiment shown in FIG. 3B, including the electrode 306. FIG. The locations of the conductive elements 312, dielectric elements 308, grooves 318, window 324, thermally conductive element 304, and oval gas channels 336 are shown.
    Example 3
    4, the cooling block 442 has cooling channels 430 for accommodating the flow of coolant 428 in one direction, and an alternating The cooling channels 430 receive the flow of the coolant 428 in the other direction. In this embodiment, the cooling channels are in a direction parallel to the electrodes. This structure allows the lamp to emit more uniformly in all parts by smoothing the temperature through the device. As in the previous figures, electrodes 406 are comprised of conductive elements 412 within dielectric material 408. The electrodes 406 are bonded to a thermally conductive material 404 that is bonded to an adjacent layer 410 that is the same as or different from the material 404. The electrodes 406 are also bonded to the window 424 using glass cement, glass melting, thermocompression, or other bonding means 420.
    Example 4
    Example 4 shows another embodiment of lamp 500 (Fig. 5A to Fig. 5C). In the device, as shown in FIG. 5A, the thermally conductive material 504 is bonded to gas discharge tubes 508 having a rectangular cross-section. The discharge tubes are defined as discharge spaces 516 including a discharge gas as described above. The thermally conductive material 504 is cooled with a coolant 528 circulating on the material 504 by a pump (not shown). The thermally conductive material 504 may be beryllium oxide, aluminum nitride, or other material with high thermal conductivity. Figures 5B and 5C depict the electrodes 512 of the present embodiment. The electrodes 512 include a coupling portion 520 that is inserted into the coupling grooves 511 of the material 504. This arrangement provides mechanical, electrical, and thermal bonding between the peripheral elements and the electrodes. The electrode plate 522 is thin, between about 10 μm and 1000 μm thick, and extends along the side surface of the discharge tube 508 by a distance of about ¼ of the entire distance. The electrodes can be made by thin film deposition or other techniques.
    The electrodes are arranged in pairs, one of each pair being connected to one pole of an AC power source (not shown) and the other of each pair being connected to the other pole of the AC power source. The discharge tube 508 is made of a material of sufficient genetic component to provide the necessary capacitors and resistance to the electrical flow to initialize and maintain the dielectric discharge conditions. Additionally, the discharge tube 508 is made of a material that is transparent to the wavelength of the desired radiation.
    This structure provides good heat transfer from the electrodes and the discharge tube and acts like an electrical connection to the power source. In addition, the above configuration does not require the production of a conductive element / dielectric bonded electrode as in Examples 1-3.
    In yet another embodiment 501 of this kind of lamp, the discharge tube is replaced by a U-shaped discharge element 509, as shown in Fig. 5D. The window 524 of the embodiment need not be the same material as the U-shaped element 509. [ For example, the element 509 can be a crystal or a ceramic, and the window 524 is transparent to the radiation generated. The window 524 is bonded to the U-shaped element 509 by thermal compression to provide a glass cement, glass melt, or pressure resistant seal. As in the previous embodiments, the electrodes 512 are in thermal contact with the thermally conductive material 504.
    Example 5
    Other types of electrode structures are shown in Figs. 6A and 6B. 6A), the gas discharge tubes 608 define gas discharge spaces 616 and define a space for the electrodes 612 to be inserted between the tubes 608 Stay away. The electrodes 612 are supported by supports 620 so that the electrodes are positioned in the middle of the gas discharge tubes 608. The gas discharge tubes 608 are mounted on a thermally conductive material 604, which is made of a suitable material having high thermal conductivity, such as beryllium oxide or aluminum nitride. The electrode arrangement is cooled with a cooling liquid circulated by a pump (not shown).
    Electrodes 612 may be made such that the titanium wire is tightly packed in the dielectric material as described in the previous examples and a thinly curved line 614 is formed to lie in the electrode internal space 615, Can be internally cooled by the flow of coolant (arrows) (Fig. 6B). The ion-free water is used as a coolant and is used for cooling and electrical contact between the line electrode element 614 and the wall of the electrode 613. Additional cooling of the electrode and the discharge tube 608 may be performed by another cooling space 629 having a highly thermally conductive liquid which is circulated by a separate pump from that used to circulate the coolant 628 do. The discharge tubes are bonded to the window 624 using the methods described for the previous embodiments of the present invention.
    Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 6c. In this embodiment, the U-shaped discharge elements 609 are joined to the window 624 with the electrodes 612 of FIG. 6B fixed by the supports 620, thereby forming the gas discharge spaces 616, . In this embodiment, the cooling is mainly through the internal electrode cooling means 614 shown in Fig. 6B.
    Example 6
    An alternative embodiment 700 is shown in Figure 7a. The device 700 comprises a series of adjacent discharge tubes 709 in a planar arrangement and the boundaries of the discharge tubes 709 form cusps 710 therebetween. Each tube 709 has a semi-cylindrical cross-section and is made of a suitable dielectric material. The discharge tubes 709 are bonded to a window 724 capable of transmitting radiation. The discharge tubes 709 and the window 724 define gas discharge spaces 716. Electrodes 712 are spaced between the discharge tubes 709 such that the implementation of electrical discharge at the tips 710, by way of example, leads to excimer radiation in the discharge space 716. Electrodes 712 are located in the coolant space preceded by a material 704 that is thermally conductive with the discharge tubes 709. The coolant space is filled with a coolant 728, which is circulated by a pump (not shown), thereby cooling the electrode and the discharge space. The coolant 728 must have a sufficiently low dielectric constant and sufficiently high dielectric strength to minimize the possibility of a pathway for electrical flow between the electrodes 712. [
    Another embodiment 701 (Figure 7B) is provided for direct cooling of the electrodes. In this embodiment, the electrodes 712 are partially embedded in the dielectric material 705 and are partially exposed to the coolant 728 to form a cooling space 732 defined by the dielectric material 705 and the coolant wall 732. In this embodiment, . In this type of electrode configuration, the dielectric discharge is not adjacent between the electrodes 712 and is within the discharge reservoir 716 above the dielectric material 705. The electric field generated by the electrodes 712 is directly induced to the surface of the dielectric layer 705 above the electrodes 712. Upon reaching a sufficient voltage threshold, electrical current flows from one portion of the dielectric surface 705 to the adjacent portion, thereby creating a plasma within the discharge space 716. Plasma dispersion depressions 718 are shown in the dielectric material 705. The dispersion depressions 718 may be, for example, grooves, dimples, cylinders, ellipses, or other suitable shapes. Spherical ceramic or quartz spacers 726 are bonded to the dielectric layer 705 and the window 724 to maintain a suitable thickness of the discharge space. The spacers need not be spherical, but must have a size sufficiently similar to support the window 724 to not cause excessive mechanical stress on the portions. These spacers may be arranged in various patterns and grid structures (see FIG. 7D) throughout the discharge space 716. In this embodiment, the coolant 728 must have a sufficiently low dielectric constant and sufficiently high dielectric strength to not provide a path for electrical flow between the electrodes 712.
    Figure 7c depicts another embodiment 702 of the present invention. In this case, the electrodes 714 are located at the recessed portion in the dielectric layer 705. [ Other elements of this embodiment have the same numbers as in FIG. 7B. In this way, the electrodes can be thin, ranging from about 100 nm to about 1000 microns, preferably from about 100 nm to about 500 microns, and more preferably about 200 microns.
    By making the electrode thin, the lateral capacitance between the electrodes in the dielectric layer is higher than the sum of the capacitance of the discharge gas in the dielectric layers above the electrodes and the discharge space. Thus, it is preferable that the current flow starts from one electrode, passes through the dielectric layer, passes through the gas, and flows to the second electrode through another portion of the dielectric layer, rather than a direct flow between the electrodes.
    Preferably, the coolant 728 should have sufficient thermal conductivity and thermal capacity to maintain the temperature of the electrode below 300 ° C, and a dielectric constant sufficiently low to prevent leakage current to the electrical ground through the cooling system And a sufficiently high dielectric strength. Suitable coolants include glycol and halon Based on glycols.
    FIG. 7D shows a top view of embodiments 701 or 702 and shows an array of spacers 726. FIG. The arrangement is only one method by way of example and is in the form of a lattice as shown and is located on top of the lower electrodes 712 or 714. 7B-7C so as to provide sufficient strength to withstand the pressure differential between the discharge space 716 and the exterior of the device, May be arranged in any other suitable manner capable of sufficiently supporting the substrate. However, the spherical spacers may be arranged in close proximity, but sufficient space must be maintained between them so as not to limit the flow of radiant gas in the discharge space 716. If the rods are to be used as spacers, it is desirable that the pieces are sufficiently short so as not to limit the discharge gas flow.
    Example 7
    FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment 800, which provides a circulating radiation source. The radiation pattern of the device is determined by the length of the electrodes 812 and 183. Electrodes 812 are connected to one pole of an AC power supply 815 and electrodes 813 are connected to the other pole of the AC power supply 815.
    While the present invention has been described with reference to the above-described alternate embodiments, these embodiments are provided by way of example and not by way of limitation. Skilled artisans may modify or combine embodiments of the invention in a variety of obvious ways by this description. Accordingly, such modifications and additions are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
    权利要求:
    Claims (46)
    [1" claim-type="Currently amended] In a silent discharge radiator,
    A plurality of electrodes, each electrode having an electrode axis,
    Walls defining the discharge space comprising the electrodes, wherein the discharge space is filled with a gas capable of emitting radiation under the conditions of dielectric discharge conditions, wherein at least one wall of the discharge space is substantially surrounded by the radiation Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 >
    Wherein at least one of the electrodes comprises a conductive element contained within a dielectric material, and
    And means for disposing regions of dielectric discharge associated with at least one electrode.
    [2" claim-type="Currently amended] 2. The silent discharge applicator of claim 1, wherein the arrangement means comprises a plurality of regions along the length of at least one of the electrodes.
    [3" claim-type="Currently amended] 2. The silent discharge filer according to claim 1, wherein the means for disposing the discharge regions comprises a plurality of depressions in the dielectric material of at least one electrode.
    [4" claim-type="Currently amended] 4. The silent discharge applicator of claim 3, wherein the depressions comprise grooves of the dielectric defining an axis of the groove, the groove axis being substantially perpendicular to the axis of the electrode.
    [5" claim-type="Currently amended] 2. The silent discharge applicator of claim 1, wherein the means for disposing the discharge regions comprises reducing the resistance between selected portions of adjacent electrodes to a resistance between different regions of adjacent electrodes.
    [6" claim-type="Currently amended] 2. The silent discharge filer according to claim 1, characterized in that each region of the discharge is produced by a region of higher capacitance.
    [7" claim-type="Currently amended] 4. The silent discharge applicator of claim 3, wherein the grooves have apices and the tips of the grooves have an angle of about 90 relative to the centers of the electrodes.
    [8" claim-type="Currently amended] The plasma display panel of claim 1, wherein the wall of the discharge space has an internal port for introducing the gas into the discharge space, wherein a wall of the discharge space has an external port for discharging the gas from the discharge space A silent discharge radiator.
    [9" claim-type="Currently amended] The silent discharge filer according to claim 1, wherein the getter is positioned in the gas discharge space for purifying the gas.
    [10" claim-type="Currently amended] The silent discharge filament according to claim 1, wherein the flow of gas is substantially perpendicular to the electrode axis.
    [11" claim-type="Currently amended] The silent discharge filer according to claim 1, wherein the flow of the gas is parallel to the electrode axis.
    [12" claim-type="Currently amended] In a silent discharge radiator,
    A plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the electrodes comprises a conductive element contained within a dielectric material, each electrode having an electrode axis,
    The walls defining the discharge space, the discharge space comprising the electrodes, the discharge space being filled with a gas capable of emitting radiation under the dielectric discharge conditions, wherein at least one wall defining the discharge space Substantially transparent to the wavelength of the emitted radiation, and
    Wherein the at least one electrode comprises disposed regions of a plurality of dielectric discharges associated with at least one electrode.
    [13" claim-type="Currently amended] 13. A silent discharge applicator according to claim 12, comprising means for cooling each electrode.
    [14" claim-type="Currently amended] 14. The silent discharge radiator as set forth in claim 13, wherein the means for cooling comprises providing thermal contact between each electrode and a cooling liquid flowing through the electrodes.
    [15" claim-type="Currently amended] 15. The silent discharge filament according to claim 14, wherein the flow of the cooling liquid is substantially perpendicular to the electrode axis.
    [16" claim-type="Currently amended] 15. The silent discharge filament according to claim 14, wherein the flow of the cooling liquid is substantially parallel to the electrode axis.
    [17" claim-type="Currently amended] 14. The silent discharge applicator of claim 13, wherein each electrode is connected to a thermally conductive base.
    [18" claim-type="Currently amended] 18. The silent discharge applicator of claim 17, wherein the thermally conductive base comprises one of a group consisting of beryllium oxide and aluminum nitride.
    [19" claim-type="Currently amended] 18. The silent discharge applicator of claim 17, wherein the thermally conductive base is cooled by a thermally conductive, cold rolled device.
    [20" claim-type="Currently amended] 18. The silent discharge applicator according to claim 17, wherein the cooling liquid cools the thermally conductive base.
    [21" claim-type="Currently amended] 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the coolant comprises glycol and halon Based on the total weight of the silane discharge emitter.
    [22" claim-type="Currently amended] 15. The method of claim 14,
    Wherein the liquid in the cooling means is sufficient to maintain the electrode temperature at about 300 占 폚 or less.
    [23" claim-type="Currently amended] 18. The method of claim 17,
    Wherein the thermally conductive base has sufficient thermal conductivity to maintain the electrode temperature below about < RTI ID = 0.0 > 300 C. < / RTI >
    [24" claim-type="Currently amended] In a silent discharge radiator,
    A plurality of discharge tubes having at least one wall and the discharge tubes being filled with a gas capable of emitting radiation under dielectric discharge conditions, wherein at least one wall of each discharge tube is substantially filled with the filled gas Transparent to the emitted wavelength, and
    And electrodes disposed between the discharge tubes.
    [25" claim-type="Currently amended] 25. The method of claim 24,
    And means for cooling said electrodes.
    [26" claim-type="Currently amended] 25. The silent discharge filer according to claim 24, wherein the discharge tubes have a rectangular cross section.
    [27" claim-type="Currently amended] 25. The silent discharge applicator of claim 24, wherein the discharge tubes and electrodes are in contact with sufficient cooling material to maintain the electrode temperature below about 300 < 0 > C.
    [28" claim-type="Currently amended] 28. The silent discharge applicator of claim 27, wherein the cooling material is selected from the group consisting of beryllium oxide and aluminum nitride.
    [29" claim-type="Currently amended] 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the cooling material is selected from the group consisting of glycol and halon Based on the total weight of the silane discharge emitter.
    [30" claim-type="Currently amended] 25. The silent discharge applicator of claim 24, wherein the discharge tubes are shaped to have a curved side and a flat side and a hemispherical cross-section, wherein the flat sides of the adjacent discharge tubes are coplanar.
    [31" claim-type="Currently amended] 31. The silent discharge applicator of claim 30, wherein the discharge tube has an inner wall and an outer wall, wherein adjacent discharge tubes meet to form a tip between the outer walls of the discharge tubes, wherein the tip includes an electrode.
    [32" claim-type="Currently amended] 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the electrodes are positioned proximate to each adjacent tube, wherein each electrode is cooled by a coolant flowing past each of the electrodes sufficient to maintain the temperature of the electrode below about < RTI ID = Wherein the silent discharge radiator is a silent discharge radiator.
    [33" claim-type="Currently amended] 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the coolant is selected from the group consisting of glycol and halon Based on the total weight of the silane discharge emitter.
    [34" claim-type="Currently amended] 25. The silent discharge applicator of claim 24, wherein the discharge tubes are substantially hemispherical in shape.
    [35" claim-type="Currently amended] In a silent discharge radiator,
    Means for providing a plurality of electrodes, each electrode comprising a conductive element contained within a dielectric material,
    Means defining on said electrodes, a grating structure of the preceding discharge regions, and
    And means for providing a gas capable of emitting radiation under the dielectric discharge conditions.
    [36" claim-type="Currently amended] In a silent discharge radiator,
    An electrode arrangement of each electrode having a conductor associated with the dielectric material,
    The arrangement of the electrodes has a plurality of predefined regions for the dielectric discharge,
    And a radiant gas distribution device associated with the discharge regions.
    [37" claim-type="Currently amended] 37. The silent discharge applicator of claim 35, wherein the lattice structure is two-dimensional.
    [38" claim-type="Currently amended] In a silent discharge radiator,
    Thin window, and
    And a plurality of spacers for supporting said window at an existing pressure difference.
    [39" claim-type="Currently amended] 39. The silent discharge applicator of claim 38, wherein the plurality of spacers are selected from the group consisting of a sphere and a rod.
    [40" claim-type="Currently amended] 40. The silent discharge applicator of claim 39, wherein the spacers have a cross-sectional volume that is substantially similar to the cross-sectional volume of the electrodes.
    [41" claim-type="Currently amended] An electrode for a silent discharge radiator comprising a conductive element contained within a dielectric material, the electrode further comprising a plurality of gas channels in the electrode.
    [42" claim-type="Currently amended] 42. The silent discharge applicator of claim 41, wherein the gas channels have a gas channel axis substantially perpendicular to the electrodes.
    [43" claim-type="Currently amended] 25. The silent discharge applicator of claim 24, wherein the electrodes have a thickness between about 10 microns and about 1000 microns.
    [44" claim-type="Currently amended] 25. The silent discharge applicator of claim 24, wherein the electrodes extend between the discharge tubes.
    [45" claim-type="Currently amended] 25. The silent discharge applicator of claim 24, wherein the electrodes extend between the discharge tubes to have a height of between about 1/4 to about 7/8 of the height of the discharge tube.
    [46" claim-type="Currently amended] An electrode for a silent discharge radiator comprising a conductive element contained within a dielectric material, the electrode further comprising a plurality of predetermined discharge sites provided to the dielectric material.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    KR100647883B1|2006-12-13|
    WO1999041767A1|1999-08-19|
    EP1055251A4|2005-02-16|
    EP1055251A1|2000-11-29|
    JP2002503871A|2002-02-05|
    AU2762799A|1999-08-30|
    US6049086A|2000-04-11|
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    法律状态:
    1998-02-12|Priority to US09/022,507
    1998-02-12|Priority to US09/022,507
    1999-02-10|Application filed by 퀘스터 테크놀로지, 인코포레이티드
    2001-05-15|Publication of KR20010040954A
    2006-12-13|Application granted
    2006-12-13|Publication of KR100647883B1
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    US09/022,507|1998-02-12|
    US09/022,507|US6049086A|1998-02-12|1998-02-12|Large area silent discharge excitation radiator|
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